FB Digest@VoxPOPULI

“Formula 1 is a snake and it is wrapped around the throat of the people who submit to this misery and oppression.”

(Lack of) Human Rights and Liberties

Activist Rabiya Mammadova’s mother was beaten by her colleagues on Friday. According to the activist, her mother who works as a cleaner was beaten by another cleaner who insulted her for her daughter’s activism. Rabiyya Mammadova said that lately, she has been trying to raise awareness about the issues that women from religious backgrounds face. Mammadova wrote: “Everyone knows that my mother is a cleaner, and I’m not ashamed of that. When I went to the house from a meeting, my mother called and said that while she was at work, she was beaten by another cleaner, saying that her daughter was immoral, degenerate, and a prostitute. The reason why my mother was beaten by a woman wearing a hijab, is because I work on the projects that focus on those women who wear hijab. I would like to emphasize once again that the woman who beat my mother is used for provocation, and those behind the hand that hit my mother must be found. I will take legal steps and fight till the end.”

Activists reacted to what happened to Mammadova’s mother with outrage. Activist Bakhtiyar Hajiyev said that this kind of action would only increase hatred and tension in the society. Hajiyev wrote: I read Rabiya‘s post with heartache. Rabiya had recently opened a sewing shop, employed women looking for work and in need of protection, and organized the sale of their products. They (authorities) were not happy about this and decided to beat her mother. This will increase hatred and tension in society. Every time we say “they would not do that”, the government tries to prove the opposite to us.” Activist Nigar Hezi said that those who ordered this act of violence have no moral concept and crossed all the red lines.

Chairman of the Muslim Union Movement Tale Baghirzadeh has started a hunger strike in prison. The statement came from his assistant Elchin Gasimov. On June 3, Baghirzade made a written statement to the administration of Gobustan Prison, where he is serving his sentence. He cited the recent blasphemous statements by the officials and the torture of citizens at police stations as the main reason for hunger strike. Baghirzadeh called the recent acts of violence against the activists an insult to human values and an unacceptable step against faith. He noted that he would continue his protest until the perpetrators are punished.

According to the Defense Ministry, Abdullazade Said Mazahir oglu, a conscript of the Azerbaijani Army, committed suicide by firing a machine gun. According to the statistics by the independent journalists, at least 30 soldiers and veterans have committed suicide since the end of the Second Karabakh War. Chairperson of APFP Ali Karimli said that the Azerbaijani society should demand the government respect the veterans. Karimli wrote: “Doesn’t the fact that so many of our veterans commit suicide indicate that our veterans are being neglected at the state level? The government is ungrateful to our veterans, families of martyrs, and war veterans. The government is wrong in doing so but this is the essence of its nature. This government does not treat any section of society with respect and fairness. But as a nation, shouldn’t we stand with our veterans and defend them? Isn’t it our common duty to demand their rights from the government? Let’s do our duty.”

Samaya Hashimova, the mother of National Hero Polad Hashimov, told Yeni Sabah that the protesting veterans demanded their rights and were right. Hashimova said: “The veterans did the right thing. The martyr’s parents are right. It is not enough to just give a little money to the parents of the martyrs and expect them to shut their mouths. All those boys went to fight, many did not come back, and those who survived lost their arms, legs, and eyes, and now they are demanding their rights. Are they crazy because they demand the rights ?! No! Let them not insult our veterans! Let them listen to what they demand and solve their problems properly. They demand justice. They have the right to stand at that door of Sahil Babayev and demand something.”

Blogger Hebib Muntezir wrote that in Yardimli, police arrested a resident of the region, Rovshan Aliyev, and then beat him to death. The deceased was a first Karabakh war veteran. In Lankaran, a 17-year-old student was taken to a police station and beaten by several people. He then was hospitalized and is in critical condition. Moreover, Zabit Bedelov, a member of the Musavat party‘s Agsu regional branch and chairman of the organizing committee for the conferences, was arrested for eight days.

Exiled journalist Ganimat Zahid said that the server of Turan TV was attacked by hackers. The hackers managed to seize the server for 4 minutes and caused serious damage. According to Zahid their team of specialists is trying to solve the issue, and maybe in the next few hours, or in the worst case, in 1-2 days, Turan TV will be broadcast again. “We will continue, of course,” said Zahid.

The central streets of Baku are again closed to the public as the city prepares to host formula 1 games. The pedestrians have to use alternative routes as the main roads are fenced.  Member of APFP Fuad Gahramanli said that because of the changed routes, thousands of residents have to endure long traffic jams. Gahramanli wrote: “Not only did they look at the country as their own factory, but they also turned Baku into a sports ground for themselves. Formula 1 is a snake and it is wrapped around the throat of the people who submit to this misery and oppression. Every day, hundreds of thousands of people experience nervous tension and loss of time in traffic jams caused by the fencing of the city center for the Formula 1 race.  Why hold a car race in the capital, in the center of the city? If there is no road transport outside Baku to hold such a race, then it is not right to hold this competition in our country. Why do people have to be on the roads for hours in the heat of summer?  When the opposition wants to hold a rally for only a couple of hours, they refuse to grant the permission citing free movement of the population as an obstacle. However, when it comes to Formula 1 race, without asking anyone, they make it real oppression and hardship for hundreds of thousands of people to leave their homes for a month.”